S.O.B. and dizziness
- by Edouard
- 2017-04-28 20:30:09
- Conditions, Meds & Tests
- 1332 views
- 5 comments
65 year-old male, swims 12-15 km per week. Received my pacemaker in 2010 for Sick Sinus Syndrome.
In January, the yearly pacemaker clinic detected some arrythmia and tacchycardia (not the first time). I have also had some episodes of shortness of breath, dizziness and a drop in my senses (the world seems to close in on me for a few seconds). I saw my cardiologist in March of this year and he put me on atenolol. I began the regimen about 10 days ago. Of course, the medication has slowed me down and my performance in the pool has dropped significantly. That was to be expected. What I did not expect was that the symptoms would worsen. Just getting about, walking at a regular pace, I had trouble getting through today without passing out. I thought that the medication was intended to deal with this. Any thoughts?
5 Comments
I made a mistake
by Edouard - 2017-04-29 00:05:05
I initially believed that my medication was metoprolol. I checked and discovered that in fact I am on atenolol. Since metoprolol was initially discussed, I guess the mind hears what it was programmed to hear. Sorry for the confusion.
call anyway
by Tracey_E - 2017-04-29 09:20:34
There are people who can take metoprolol but not atenolol, some who can take atenolol but not metoprolol.
Atenolol Experience
by Lurch - 2017-04-29 21:12:25
I was Atenolol for about a year. Finally told my Cardiologist I could not function on it - felt like I was living in a jar of malosses, always tried and sluggish. He agreed to take me off of it for awhile and see how I did. I went on Lisinopril instead. That was 14 months ago, so far so good but I do get long strings of PVC's occassionally.
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call your doctor
by Tracey_E - 2017-04-28 21:17:42
It could be the medication isn't working, it could be you don't do well on metoprolol. It can take 4-6 weeks (or more) to adapt to a new medication but what you describe doesn't sound normal.
I was a mess on metoprolol before I convinced my doc to give me something else, tired and dizzy and foggy, almost like being drunk. He kept saying give it 6 weeks. When I stumbled over nothing in my kitchen and broke my foot, I refused to take another dose. He gave me atenolol next. I was a little tired but that's it, night and day from the metoprolol. My husband is on a dose of metoprolol 3x what I was on, he has no side effects. We are all different! Never hesitate to call if you don't feel right.